MCADENVILLE, N.C. — The waters of the Catawba River mean everything to Brandon Jones. He’s spent the last four years of his life as the Catawba Riverkeeper.
What You Need To Know
- The Catawba River has a long history of pollution, earning it its nickname, "the rainbow river"
- The Catawba Riverkeepers work to clean, test and inform the public about the Catawba River's history and need for protection
- Catawba Riverkeeper, Brandon Jones says there are actions everyone can take to preserve the river
If you have any questions about what his work looks like, he says it can best be understood by literary giant Dr. Suess.
“Kind of think of it as 'The Lorax' — we’re trying to speak for the river, the people who need this water,” Jones said.
That means he’s responsible for protecting the river and protecting the people who visit it by running tests on the water, advocating on behalf of the river and informing community members on the best ways to protect and experience it.
The Catawba River has a long history of pollution. In fact, residents often used the Catawba as a dumping ground, gaining the river its nickname.
"It was called 'the rainbow river' because they would dump textile dyes into it, so there’d be different colors coming down," Jones said.
Though whole testing and databases may take a little while, Jones says there are some things we know right now and a role we all can play.
"If you're washing your car, fertilizer, anything that runs onto the street or into your gutter, that water goes straight to the creeks. We are completely dependent on these man made lakes for drinking water and electricity," he said. "We really need to protect those resources... they do a lot of work."
For more information on the Catawba Riverkeeper's work, click here.